Steam-feed for sawmills.



Patented Sept. 4, I900.- H. GL'DITTBENNER.

STEAM FEED FOR SAWMILLS.

(Application med Sept, 18, 1898.)

t 0 6 h J S B B h s 2 (N9 Modal.)

Hermann G: OI/fbenner, 5 M lrlls affor'neya,

WWeJJw No. 657,340. Patented'Sept. 4, I900. H.. G. UITTBENNEB.

STEAM FEED FOR SAWMILLS. (Application filed Sept. 13, 1898.) (No ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W Z imemiei;

UNITED STATES 7 PATENT v OFFIC.

HERMANN c}. DITTBENNER, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

s 'iiEllM-FEED FOR SAWMILLS.

srncrrrcnr roiv forming part of Letters Patent No.;657,340, dated September 4, 1900. Application fileli'september 13, 1898'. Serial No. 690,838- No model.)

To all whom it-ritaytcortc eirn:

Be it known that I; HERMANN G. DITTBEN- NER, of the city of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Feeds for Sawmills, of which the following is a specification. d

This invention relates to means for operat* ing log-carriages in sawmills; and one object is to accomplish the quick starting of the carriage. 1

Another object of the invention is to decrease the cost of operating the carriage and to provide for more positive, easy, and safe control thereof by the Sawyer; and a further object is to savesteam and to improve the steam-valves and the operating mechanism.

The invention consists generally in the combination, with the log-carriage and its steam-feed cylinder, of a large steam-resen voir arranged near said cylinder and of substantially the length thereof and having valves at the ends of the cylinder, whereby the entrance and exhaust of steam to, said cylinder are controlled, to the end that the steam may be admitted to said cylinder at substantially boiler-pressure, whereby the carriage may be started quickly, after which the steam may be cut 0% and the expansion of the steam in the cylinder used to drive the carriage to the end of its travel.

The invention also consists in the'particular form and construction of the steam-valves and in a reciprocating rod for operating the same, and, further, theinve'ntion consists in details of construction and in combinations of parts, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims. I

The invention will be more readily under stood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of a steam-feed apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View showing the position of the steam-reservoir, the valves; and the operating-rod. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view of the expansion-joints used at the end or ends of the steam-reservoir. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the manner of suspending the valve-operating rod. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the bell-crank that is connected with the operating-lever. Fig. 6 is a side View of the steam-valve. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line too of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is asec tional view on the line 1] y of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 7. Fig. 11 is a partial section similar to Fig. 7, showing the exhaust-passage open. Fig.12 is a separate view of the valve plunger or piston. Fig. 13 is an end View of the valve-piston.

As shown in the drawings, 2 represents the sawmill-floor. 3 represents a section of the band-saw.

lis the moving log-carriage, which operates upon a suitable track. 5 is the steamfeed cylinder, which is about twice the length of the carriage. 6 is the piston -rod,connected with the piston within the cylinder 5 and coupled to the forward end of the carriage.

7represents a large pipe, tank, or reservoir, preferably of about the same diameter as the cylinder 5 and nearly as long. The controlling-valves are arranged at the ends of this reservoir to take steam therefrom at substantially boiler-pressure, and pipes 10 lead from the valves to the ends of the cylinder 5. The

pipe or reservoir 7 is placed in a convenient the cylinder in order that the connecting- V pipes 10 may occupy a vertical position. The steam is conducted to the auxiliary reservoir by. a pipe 8, extending from the boiler. The reservoir connections are preferably coupled to the sides of the valve 9, and the exhaust steam-pipes 1 1 preferably lead from the under sides thereof. Piston-valves are prefen ably employed, and the valve-rods 12 thereof are connected by links 13 and bell-cranks 14 to along rod 15, thatis preferablysuspended beneath the floor, as shown. This rod 15 is connected to the sawyers operating-lever 16 by suitable means, whereby the rod may be longitudinally moved or reciprocated to open and close the piston-valves. Asthe sawyers lever ordinarily operates in a plane transverseto the line of movement of the carriage, I prefer to connect said lever with'the rod 15 by means of a bell-crank 17 and rod or link 18. The bell-cranks 14 and 17 are arranged in fixed bearings upon theupright timbers of the mill and do not move with the valves,

which latter change their positions, owing to the expansion and contraction of the steamfeed cylinder 5. This movement of the valves, however, does not materially alter the relations of the plungers or pistons thereof tothe operating-rod 15, owing to the employment of the long links 13 between the ends of the valve-rods and the bell-cranks 14. In this manner I am able to avoid one of the chief objections to the rocking shaft that is usually employed in place of the operating-rod 1.5 shown herein- In order that the rod 15 may be moved with the greatest possible ease, I prefer to construct the bell-cranks as shown in Fig. 5, providing each with a long center shaft that is held by. the cone or pin bearings 19. If a pin orscrew l9 breaks, the shaft will still be held by the collars or caps 19 to prevent a complete break down and possible accident. A's thecylinder and the reservoir 7 do not expand and contract together, I prefer to connect the valves 9 rigidly to the ends of the cylinder 5 by means of said .pipes 10 and provide expansion or sliding joints between the valves and the ends of the reservoir'7. Only one such joint is absolutely required. These expansion-joints may be of any suitable construction; but I preferto employ the telescoping sleeves or pipes 2l and the adjustable packing-gland 22-, as shown in Fig. 3.

To insure the safety of the men who ride upon the log-carriage and to obtain .thelrapid operation of the carriage, it is necessary 5 that the steam-feed valves should; operate smoothly and easily, so that the same may be readily controlled by thesawyer.

The valve as I construct the same comprises the cylinder 25and the piston 26 therein. The cylinder isprovided with two ports 27 28, the first being connected with the-reservoir 7' by the pipe 20 and the .port 28 be-. ing't'he cylinder port and connected withthe der 1s also provided with the exhaust-opening-29, communicating with the exhaust-pipe 11. The ports 2728 ,are preferably annular,

extending around the full .circumference of l the cylinder. The piston '26 isprovided with 5 V i nular space is provided between the two ends I to said cylinder, pipes leading from said res- This space .isilong 3 enough to brldge the ports 27 28, whereby valves in saidpipes and means for operating said valves, substantiallyas described. port '28 and the cylinder-pipe 1.0. Thepiston a reduced middle portion 30, whereby an an- 26 and 26" of the piston.

the steam is admitted from the port 27 to'the is'carrfied upon the valve rod orstemB'l, which tween the collar and a fixed nut upon said rod or stem31.

a'cn'shion between the .end 26.0f thepiston and'the end ofithe valve-cylinder, said piston from end toend thereof, whereby any steam that may leak past the part 26 .intothe cavity back thereof may escape into .theexhaustcavity at the opposite end of the valve-cylin inde-r.

"One of the chief objections to most steamfeed valves is that the pistons stick in their cylinders as the same are moved to open their main ports. This is due to the sudden .rush of steam to the side :of the valve toward the pipe leading to the steam-feed-cylinder. In order to avoidthis difiiculty, I provide the ti'ght-fitting piston end 26 with an overhanging annular flange 34, which flange is serrated or perforated to compel an equal distribution of "steam at all poi n'tsabout the cylinderpor-tor groove, whereby the piston is held in balancein all directions in the valvecylinder. After the pressure is established in the cylinder-pipe 10 the tendency :to unbalance the piston is removed and it may be readily removed to the position where the cylinder-port will be ,fully opened. v 7

An advantage which my valve has over others follows'from the position of the exhanst-port of the valve at one end of the valve cylinder, so that when the valve-piston is :drawn out to close the .li ve-stea-m passage and open the cylinder-port for the exhaust ofrsteam the exhaust-steam will pass directly overthe .end of the valve-piston and down into the exhaustcavity or port of the valve.

; Aquick exhaust is thus obtained, and, fur- 3 thermore,.al-l waterof condensationwillfreely drain from the cylinder-portin to theexhaust- 1 port beneath. l

, To -prevent the drawing back of the piston bythe exhaust passing theend thereof, I pro 1 vide the piston with a conical recess 26 .in 1 its end, which causessnflicientback pressure j thereon .to .counteractzthedraf-t upon the same.

By supplying steam .to the cylinderatpracticallyboiler-pressure much loss is avoided,

andas the :carriage may be started with a small .amount of steam, the-expansion of the high- ,pressure'steam willserve to movethe car cylinder 5 by the pipelO. The valve-cylin- I riage the greater part of the 1stroke-or'travel Having thus described my invention, I

claim as newzand desire to secure byLetters Patent 9 l 1. iThecom-binatiomwith asawmill carriage j and .its steam-feed :cylinderand piston, of a steam-reservoir-arranged in close proximity ervoir .to the opposite ends of said cylinder,

2 2. Thecombinatiomwith asawmill-carriage p and itsstea-m-feed cylinder and ,piston, of .a has bearings 1n the-endsof the cylinder-25 V steam-reservoir wherein ahigh'pressure of and whereon the -valvepiston26 is held besteamlmay .belmaintained, said reservoir ,be j ingot substantially the same length-assaid To prevent the formation of 1 cylinder and located in proximity thereto,

1 short pipes leading from the-ends of said resp r erwoirtosaid cylinder, valvesarrangedin said is provlded with a central duct32, that leads pipes andmeans for operating said valves,

v1 substantiallyas described.

,3. The.comb.ination,with a sawmill-carriage 4:, The combination, with the steam-feed cylinder of a steam reservoir arranged in proximity to said cylinder and parallel therewith, short pipes or ducts connecting said reservoir with said cylinder, valves arranged in said ipes or ducts, bell-cranks having fixed bearings or pivots and connected with said valves by suitable link-rods, and a longitudinally-movable rod connecting said bell-cranks for operating said valves, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 8th day of September, 1898, at

Minneapolis, Minnesota.

HERMANN G. DITTBENNER;

in presence of M. E. GooLEY, RICHARD PAUL. 

